Collecting or harvesting energy from power lines, e.g. 60 Hz power lines, without making an electrical connection may be useful for distributed, remote sensors, such as robotic Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) sensors and/or unmanned high voltage power line access vehicles. Such sensors and vehicles need energy supply to support extended and unattended deployment and operation.
Electromagnetic field couplers have been developed for power line access vehicles. Typically, such couplers couple the entire circular magnetic field path for significant energy coupling. They may use relatively heavy iron core inductive couplers. Also, a clamshell coupler structure and mechanism may be required so the coupler can be passed over an incline power line obstacle, such as a splice box.
There are extensive networks of electrical power lines suspended overhead. Periodic inspection of each and every power line may help ensure that the power lines are functioning correctly. Frequent inspections of power lines may be especially useful after strong weather, such as high winds or electrical storms.
Various attempts have been made to produce an inspection robot, which travels on wheels, rollers or tracks and which is supported by the overhead power lines. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0114122 is directed to a hovering power line inspection vehicle that includes an ohmic contact pantograph for contacting the power line to draw power therefrom.
It may be advantageous to be able to provide a power line coupler that does not require ohmic connection, and in which the coupler may draw power from the lines themselves, such that the operation range of a vehicle is not limited by any particular power source. It may be advantageous to provide a power line coupler for an inspection vehicle in which a power source (e.g. a battery) within the apparatus can be re-charged such that the vehicle may use the power source when continuous power from power lines is not available or efficient.